This Is Not Part Of The Job
by Sarcastic Musician
Summary: Clint gets a bad feeling with Natasha being on a solo mission. Pepper's POV.


Hola, readers! Last post of the night, or I guess it's day now...not sure. Anyway, I hope you like this! Fingers crossed. Please review :)

**Pairings: Clint/Natasha, Slight: Pepper/Tony**

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Pepper's POV

It has been a trying day.

Tony managed to blow up his lab again, and on top of calling repairmen, I was placed on the task of monitoring Steve's experiments with the new technology.

It took me until lunch to realize Natasha had been sent on assignment last week, while I was in Tokyo. I'd love to say I had spent enough time at the tower to notice the loss of her presence, but as it stands, in the past week I have only spent the time it took to sleep in the tower. Until today that is.

By lunch all the day's craziness had calmed. The workmen had been hired; Steve having grown bored with the microwave (after the third replacement) decided to train, and the Tokyo contract had been finally been agreed to. I could see the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.

Finally, I would have a moment of peace.

After making a quick lunch run to the café down the street, I settled into the couch with my sandwich and laptop.

"Hi, Clint," I said, as I catch his movement from the corner of my eye, glad he decided to turn off his stealth for the time being.

"Hey, Pepper." He replies, his tone was filled with unease.

"What's wrong?" I had asked, sitting up from my slouched position.

He glanced at me for a moment before looking away with bitter laugh.

"I have a bad feeling about Natasha's mission." He said after a few drawn out seconds, his arm reaching up to rub the back of his neck.

At my concerned look, he backtracked, "I mean, she's fully capable, I just…I feel like there's something wrong. Fury won't tell me the details, and Phil's not here to tell me."

"Did you talk to Tony?" I had asked.

At his look, I paused.

"Do you have any way to get a hold of her?"

"I can't until the mission is over, or until she contacts me." He replied.

Silence, overtook the room. A seed of dread planted itself in my stomach.

My mind raced for the right thing to say, or an idea that could calm each of us, but I was at a loss.

After an uncountable time, my personal phone began ringing.

Answering quickly, I am relieved by the sound of Natasha's voice. Not even thinking, I passed the phone quickly to Clint, knowing I would want the same done if I were in his shoes.

"Are you okay?" I heard Clint ask into the phone.

At her unheard response, I watch his face crumple into confusion.

"No, something is wrong, I'm your partner, you need to tell me!"

"I don't give a damn about the mission, if something is wrong you need to get out of there." His face grew red in anger.

After a loud response, the phone was eagerly shoved in my face.

"Hello?" I greeted as a question, eyes focused on Clint's pacing form.

"I'm not on speaker am I?"

"No, of course not." I responded, the worry creeping back up.

"I need you to calmly walk out of hearing of all of the guys."

I did as I was told, finding myself in my home office.

"Okay." I relayed.

I heard her let out a breath before she began speaking, "I need you to come pick me up, I'm in Lenox Hill Hospital."

"Are you alright?" I had asked, biting back the shock.

"I'm fine, Pepper…I just…" She said trailing off

"I'll be there in a few." I saved her from responding

I hear her soft "Thank you" as I search the room for my purse and keys.

Hanging up, I make my way to the living area, to grab my keys.

"We're coming with you." Is the greeting I received as I stepped out of the elevator.

Putting on my professional mask I raised my eyebrow in Tony's direction. "You bugged my phone."

His answering shrug was all the answer I needed.

"She obviously doesn't want any of you there, if she did, she would have called you all." I said as I searched the counter for the keys.

"She needs to know that she has a team that worries for her too. Besides, no one wants to be stuck here while Birdboy stresses over her." Trust my boyfriend to end something so kind into an insult.

"If she kills me, I expect an amazing funeral service." I said and turned on my heels to make my way to the garage.

Twenty minutes, and more illegal moves than I had even seen Tony make, Clint was pulled into a …creative parking spot.

We rushed to the main entrance to the emergency room, and crowded the desk much to the amazement of its occupants.

"How can I help you?" The nurse had questioned

"We're looking for a Nadia Richards." Clint's voice had responded, jaw clinched.

"Room 26B." She responded seconds later, motioning to the left.

Quickly we made our way to the mentioned room, not bothering to slow once we entered the room…which explains the discreetly pointed gun beneath the sheet.

"I thought I made it clear not to tell them." She said nodding to the out of breath men.

"What happened?" Clint ignores her staring at her blackened eye, and bruised arms. "Are those hand prints?" Face growing red in anger.

"Nothing, I've never had before." She replied stubbornly, trying to cover her arms.

Before Clint could speak again, a soft knock came from the door. "Full house, I see. It's time to check that lung, Ms. Richards."

Natasha's acting façade goes back up, as she smiles softly to the nurse leaning forward to allow room for the stethoscope.

"It all looks good; I've scheduled an ultrasound for eight, and if all goes well you should be able to leave us in come tomorrow." The nurse announced with a smile.

"Great! Not that I haven't enjoyed my stay." Natasha replied her fake smile still in place.

"I can give you the names of a few doctors who will hate to see you go." The nurse replied with a friendly smile before leaving.

Before Natasha could lean back, Clint's hand shot to her shoulder.

"What is all this, Nat?" Clint's voice was sharp, as he glanced at her back.

We followed his line of sight, to the dark bruises marring her pale skin. The marks caused Tony to pull me closer to him.

"It's all part of the job, Clint." She said, tone equally sharp.

"It may be part of the job, but you've never had it this bad. What happened?"

"You all need to calm down, we work in a dangerous field, and this is no different." She replied, staring at the wall for help.

Her sentiment only caused the men to voice their opinions.

"Those are hand marks!" Clint's voice boomed.

"Your lung collapsed." Bruce deadpanned, eyes scanning over her file.

"Natasha, we just want to help." Steve tried to sooth.

"How did a drug-lord do this to you, I've seen you beat Cap in the ring." Tony's voice questioned, taking on a tone of shock.

"Who cares, Clint?! It's part of the job. Yes it did, Bruce. I need no help, Steve. I appreciate it though. It wasn't the drug leader, Stark." Natasha answered in a deceptively calm voice.

"Then who did it?" Tony questioned, after a long pause.

After a huff, Natasha set to explaining, closing her eyes she began, "I had an assigned cover for this mission, someone who lived in the area but didn't participate in the cartel. Everyone has vices, his just tend to …cause more harm than others." She finished, a heavy weight fell on my shoulders.

"He did this to you?" Steve questioned, for the others as they were too busy keeping their anger in check.

"It's part of the job." Natasha answered with a shrug.

"This is not part of the job! The job is to beat the evil men, not let them beat you." Clint said, finally finding his voice. "Why didn't you fight back?"

At Natasha's stare his bitter laugh bubbled up.

"Fury told you not too, didn't he?"

"Work is work, Clint. If I had fought back, there would be a murder investigation to deal with before I could even get close to the cartel." She replied indifferently.

"Tash…" Clint trailed off, brushing a piece of hair behind her ear.

Scooting over, she patted the side closest to Clint for him to lay beside her. "My mission is finished; it shouldn't hurt if you stayed."

Taking the offered spot, Clint wrapped his arm carefully around Natasha's shoulders, causing them both to relax slightly.

Before long, the nurse from before told us of the end of visiting hours. After much arguing, we decided to go back to the tower and get some rest, all but Clint who stayed at Natasha's side, no matter the visiting policy.


End file.
